Graveslab of Salmanes, Shirva, Antonine Wall

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A monument commemorating Salmanes, a fifteen year old boy, was erected by his father, also named Salmanes. The grave marker was unearthed before 1731 in Shirva, near Twechar, and measures 49 cm wide, 122 cm high, and 11 cm thick. The inscription reads: "To the spirits of the departed, Salmanes lived fifteen years. Salmanes had it erected." Salmanes senior's name suggests a Middle Eastern origin for both him and his son, reflecting the multicultural nature of the Roman community along the Antonine Wall. It is possible that Salmanes was not in the military because no rank is given to him. The Antonine Wall extended from the Clyde River to the Forth River across Scotland. Constructed around 142 AD and occupied for only twenty years, the remains of its fortifications, steep ditches, forts, and bathhouses can still be seen today. Since 2008, it has been part of the World Heritage Site known as the Frontiers of the Roman Empire. Additional information on the World Heritage Site is available at www.antoninewall.org Reference: F37 Hunterian Museum, Glasgow